Mini crane news

A BIG THANKYOU FOR 2017…..

As we wind down emails and calls, and the office printer gets a well deserved rest, we get chance to look back to the turn of the year – which seems like only yesterday. We look back at the up’s and downs of 2017, and the projects that stick out come to mind….

Along with the images below – this year we have been fortunate to be involved in some really special projects – not to say that any operation differs from another when it comes to our services.

We really do appreciate the relationships we have with our friends – and we hope we can continue to serve long into the future…

On behalf of all at LIFT MINICRANES, we thank you and wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

JANUARY – the removing of the Bells from Southwark Cathedral with a UNIC 706

Restoring the bells at Southwark Cathedral

FEBRUARY – the Mezzanine floor assembly with our MAEDA MC405

Indoor Mezzanine steel assembly

MARCH – Out in the sun assembling steel with Bocker in Wales

Mast assembly using RK36 Bocker

APRIL – Out in sun assembling Marquees

Assembling temporary marquees

MAY – Installing Steel Stairs with 2 Minicranes

Stair Assembly with 2 cranes

JUNE – Working in a football ground to assemble a stage for a concert…

Working with stage and stadium installation teams

JULY – Car manufacturing plant installation

Assembling steel in a car manufacturing plant

AUGUST – Arrival of our newest Transport Vehicle

Arrival of our larger Plant lorry

SEPTEMBER – Arrival of the largest minicrane on our fleet – the MC815C

Earlier this year LIFT CRANES were asked to assist with a very special project at MARWELL ZOO in the TROPICAL HOUSE. We were contacted by our friends at MARWELL WILDLIFE, to help with a rather extraordinary and different project.

The Aquarium which is being developed at present will be one of a kind, in that there is a climate controlled area with exotic species of wildlife and rare trees and plants from all over the world.

Some of the trees that are now inside the Tropical House weighed over 2.5 tonnes and needed the assistance of a SPIDER CRANE to help stand them up once in position as the access was extremely restricted and proved a difficult task for human strength alone.

Tropical House at Marwell Zoo

Working throughout the days our experienced operator and supervisor ensured that all lifting was done safely, and eliminated any risk of damaging the rare species of trees.

Our LIFT MINICRANE team, alongside the Marwell Wildlife Experts completed the task in hand smoothly. And the Tropical House can now be experienced by all.

Tropical House

For space restricted lifting operations, we specialize in spider cranes of all types and sizes.

Check out the rest of the photos here….click or watch the Video from Marwell Zoo here… click

Birmingham Centre has a growing construction element within the central area recently. With our Central depot in the Midlands we are able to send machines often on a sameday service to our customers.

We cover Birmingham quite frequently and it is no surprise that when walking through the centre, if you look up on the rooftop of the major construction site’s- you are able to see our unique yellow spider crane booms in the sky.

MAEDA MC405 working on the roof in Birmingham to assemble Steel

This particular job was to assemble Steel Work for a series of additional floors going up on top of a structure,with no alternative solution other than a complete road closure to position a huge mobile crane at ground level.

We hire our spider cranes in Birmingham and anywhere in the UK to work on various applications – particularly when required to work on rooftops or in tight areas…

Southwark Cathedral is the oldest Cathedral Church building in London and archaeological evidence shows there was Roman pagan worship here well before that, dating back 606 AD.

Significantly, Southwark stands at the oldest crossing point of the tidal Thames at what was the only entrance to the City of London across the river for many centuries. It is not only a place of worship but also of hospitality to every kind of person: princes and paupers, prelates and prostitutes, poets, playwrights, prisoners and patients have all found refuge here.

The bells of Southwark Cathedral are rung regularly for the major services, and for other special occasions and practices by the Southwark Cathedral Society of Bellringers.

Although there are records of bells in the Cathedral from the early 1400s, the present ring of 12 bells dates from 1735. They were one of the earliest complete sets of 12 bells to be commissioned.

A thirteenth bell was added in 2005 to enable a lighter ring of eight bells to be rung.

One of the larger bells at Southwark Cathedral

The task……

The bells require various restoration, repair and replacement work to be carried out due to the age and condition of the bells. LIFT MINICRANES where asked if at all possible, could we help to provide a solution to getting the bells down from the tower, and out of the Cathedral to be attended to in ideal conditions.

The problem…..

The heaviest bell, or “Tenor”, at Southwark is in the top ten of the heaviest change-ringing bells in existence. It weighs in at 48cwt – that’s nearly two and a half tons.

Lowering the bells down from the tower using a sufficient “winching” system seems like the perfect solution? – it would be if the ground below would support the weight of the bell.

Unfortunately, the pulpit is directly below, and is over 500 years old and cannot be loaded with bells of this kind of weight without causing serious damage.

The solution…..

The nearest firm area of ground happens to be about 5m away from the point at which the bells would come down vertically. The only way into this area or out for that matter is through a door at 1.8m wide and approx 2.4m high.

After careful inspection, and a few clicks of the measuring tape – we arrived at a possible solution.

A UNIC/URW 706 can lift 2.4t over a reach of 7m, it can also raise and lower and move comfortably under load in such a narrow working area.

We can also use the spider crane on electric eliminating the exhaust fumes when in a public and pedestrian busy place. We can track the spider crane through the courtyard and navigate it up and down the cathedral steps to gain access in and out.

We can also get in a great position to help the team of experienced bell-hanging engineers to lift each bell onto a vehicle to be taken carefully away from the cathedral.

Let’s do it…..

We delivered our UNIC URW/706 6 tonne capacity spider crane to the Cathedral early in the morning, along with floor protection and a wide selection of timber sleepers, tracking mats and accessories.

We entered through the gate on Cathedral Street – with barriers set down to keep people clear and we traversed the steps.

We tracked the UNIC through the courtyard’s narrow walkways and up and down the steps, turning almost 360 degrees in many areas to enter through the small narrow doorway into the cathedral.

We laid down a very intricate system of floor protection, timber billets and rigger pads for protection and for the reduction of ground pressures – designed and planned with our team alongside the structural engineers from the Bell Foundry and Bell changing engineers.

Once in position, an all important dry-run was carried out to clear any doubt and check final elements that can sometimes have a habit of arising.

The bells came down to the pulpit one-by-one under complete control, and nice and slowly. Until each bell was ready for the weight transfer to the crane.

Our 706 spider crane was then directed to take the weight of the delicately slung, and impressively heavy bell.

The spider crane lifted the bell back, turned it round and positioned the bell on the solid floor area to be transported through the door using mechanical devices such as skates and trolleys.

The bells ended up on the back of a lorry safe and sound, and will return in the near future to be re-positioned and set back where they belong…..

If you have any logistical lifting nightmares – why not give us a call see what we can do for you….

Now you may have heard of “Tandem Lift” but this is a “Triple Lifting Operation”….

The problem was a 2000kg Steel Beam needed lifting up and fixing into position beneath a low level ceiling. The possibility of using a conventional Mobile Crane was dismissed by the fact that the only access would have been over the beautiful lawn.

One of the great design features of our Mini Cranes are that they are low weight bearing, and cause minimal disruption when tracking, and when rigged up in position.

We laid down some plastic Tracking Mats – (available for hire) and set the cranes loose toward the work area – for action!

we then set-up the cranes so that the larger crane – MAEDA MC305, had the heavier end with the furthest reach. And the supporting UNIC 295 at the other end of the steel. The UNIC 095 with it’s multi leg position facility allowed the small crane to get it’s legs within the support prop’s to take the centre of the beam, and it’s own proportion of the weight.

With all 3 cranes ready, the steel was hoisted slowly, and fixed in position – Much to the relieve of the main contractor and property owner. The cranes completed the lift with ease, and in a safe manner.

We then dissapeared from site as if we weren’t there, and the work is now progressing as normal.

I’m sure there are contractors facing tall orders like this, and we are here to help….

We are a competitive mini crane hire company based in the Midlands, with the ability to carry out hire services all over the UK. We pride ourselves on our reliability and workmanship. We offer competitive rates for our mini crane hire, lifting equipment and services. We also offer a 24 hour manned telephone service to aid and assist our clients should the need arise - and have adopted a new national mini crane hire number 08451288911